Male Students’ Problems in Ukraine During The War
The story begins when I was in the 4th year of my Computer Engineering bachelor’s studies in the small city of Ivano-Frankivsk. In Ukraine (where I live) there is only one acceptable university. I’m talking about Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU). It has its business school (to which I wanted to apply). So I started to look for a master’s program abroad as a backup plan if I won’t enter it. Another reason I was looking for a university abroad is the war.
Researching
So I started to research studying in other countries and applied to several universities. When the war started, many countries were helping Ukrainians with jobs, accommodations, food, and studies. So I was researching what universities provide simplified applications to their programs.
It turned out that not many universities were providing this kind of help, or they provided only a limited number of places.
I found an exchange program at a German university that fit my bachelor’s program. But I didn’t need another year of study for a bachelor's because I was already finishing it. During the war, the majority of Ukrainians fled to Poland. Because it is the closest country and Polish helped so much. There are programs in English and Polish. Studying in Polish is generally accessible. But I thought it would be difficult to switch immediately, despite the Ukrainian and Polish being very similar. I was looking for English programs but they were expensive and required a language certificate.
And one day I found the ideal program. It was a Management master’s program in WSB University Kraków. And it was (drum roll) in the Ukrainian language.
I liked this program because it was aimed at Ukrainian students like me, didn’t require studying in a different language, and was relatively cheap (for Ukrainians). Also, it is in a big and beautiful city. Moreover, there is an office of my company in this city, so I’ll be able to work there.
Applying
So I applied, and I filled in all the required data about me and documents. They needed my data like my full name, photo, address of residence, and previous place of study. The documents they needed were my passport, diploma, and transcripts of University records. And I waited. Then the international office contacted me, asked for additional data, and sent an invoice.
After I paid they sent me the documents by email and I was accepted!
It was even easier than applying in Ukraine. This process of applying lasted 1 month. They didn’t have a dormitory so I rented a private one. Then I was waiting for the original documents from the university, and when I received them, the worst part started.
Dealing with Ukrainian laws and going to Poland
You can not leave Ukraine during the war if you are a man even if you don’t have military experience. Men are trapped here when women are free to leave. But there are exceptions for students that study abroad, fathers of 3+ children, and disabled men. But customs officers don’t let everyone go abroad, they humiliate students and even beat them.
So how could I cross the border? The requirements were permission from the army, a letter of acceptance, a visa, or a student card. Border service has been changing the requirements million times.
And on the 14th of September, they totally banned all the students from crossing the border. 16 days before my studies start.
All the international students from Ukraine united. They started to go to the border in large groups, create petitions, and make publicity on social networks and television.
Despite the difficulties, I stuck to the plan and continued to prepare all the documents and make a visa.
When I went to the army they wanted to check my health one more time. Maybe to be ready to draft me when needed. 4 years ago I was not able to serve in the army due to health problems. And guess what. Now I am able to serve despite myopia and problems with my skin. They consider everybody healthy because they need people in the army.
Entrance exams in Ukraine
So I tried myself in exams at UCU and at my local university in my city (IFNTUOG). I failed my exam at UCU. I was almost at the bottom of the rank list.
But things were better with the local university.
I passed 3 exams and I won a scholarship to one of the programs. So I had a right to study here for free.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and the war, we studied from home. Online. It wouldn’t be a problem to study from abroad so I entered the university to have the right to not serve in the army if something could go wrong with WSB University. So I was enrolled in my local university. One more university😰
“Start” of the studies
3 days before the start of my studies I needed to go to the border to get an official refusal or find a document that denies students from crossing the border. I needed it to cancel my dormitory booking which I paid for. I didn’t want to go to the border knowing I won’t cross it. So I emailed the border guard service and asked for an explanation of why I can’t cross the border. They replied to me and officially explained why I can’t cross the border pointing at some old document that denies a law from the constitution. The constitution is the main law of Ukraine and it has the top priority in the country. The law from the constitution they are trying to deny says:
§33. Freedom of movement, free choice of place of residence, the right to freely leave the territory of Ukraine is guaranteed to everyone who is legally present in the territory of Ukraine, with the exception of restrictions established by law.
And another law from the constitution says:
§24. Citizens have equal constitutional rights and freedoms and are equal before the law. There can be no privileges or restrictions based on race, color, political, religious or other beliefs, gender, ethnic and social origin, property status, place of residence, language or other characteristics…
But there are restrictions based on gender and age. Thank you, russia and especially the Ukrainian government for ruining my youth.
